Catalog: Archives: Regional Art (212)

Tibetan wooden prayer beads with three glass coral colored beads as separators from Lhasa. There are 108 beads. The wooden beads are made from the wood of the Bodhi tree where Buddha received his enlightenment. Size: Total Length 30cm. Condition: No repairs

Large Tibetan wooden prayer beads from Lhasa with nine glass bead spacers and two leather counters with ten silver rings each ending with silver inlaid coral and turquoise, the wooden ones are made from the wood of the Bodhi tree where Buddha received his enlightenment. Total length 66cm. Condition: No repairs all original.

Large wooden prayer beads from Lhasa with nine glass bead spacers and two leather counters with ten silver rings each ending with silver inlaid mountain coral and turquoise.The wooden ones are made from the wood of the Bodhi tree where Buddha received his enlightenment. Total length of the beads 76cm. This does not include the counters. Condition: All original.

A nice Tibetan 108 wooden prayer beads with two leather counters from Lhasa. The wooden beads are made from the wood of the Bodhi tree where Buddha received his enlightenment. Size: Total length 44cm. Bead diameter. 1.2cm. Condition: All original.

A blackwood scholar's table chest with two side handles and brass lock. Size: L. 40.5 cm. W. 23cm. H. 17.5cm. Condition: Some wear and tear from age. Usable.

A mid size marble scholar's screen with the original marble intact. Floral leaf design painted with a gold lacquered finish. Size: H. 34.3cm. W. 24.2cm. Condition: No repairs.

A creamy-beige colored crouching chimera. Open-mouthed and with head tilted upward, the details are nicely carved. There are some rusty-brown colored inclusions from long burial. Period: Song (960-1279D) Size: H = 1-1/2", Length = 2-1/2" Condition: Very good

A translucent nephrite jade "bi" of a very light cream color (off-white). Both the front and reverse are beautifully carved with the same design of a variety of "curl" designs. Period: (17th- 18th Century) Size: Outer Diameter = 2-1/4" Condition: Perfect. Color in photo has a blue tone but it is actually white.

A necklace of 26 large Tibetan turquoise beads ranging in color from delicate greenish-blue hues to a vibrant turquoise blue separated by silver rings. Each bead has its own attractive matrix and nice patina from years of wearing. The necklace was bought together with the two glass dZi beads and two red coral beads in Lhasa, Tibet. It was restrung again recently to give it strength.

Period: 19th Century...

A white translucent jade cicada. A simple carving on one side and plain on the other side. The cicada is the symbol of happiness and eternal youth. Age: Han Dynasty -206 BC - 220 AD. Size: L. 6.7cm. W. 3.3cm. Condition: No chips or repairs.

This ancient conch shell bead from the Pyu period and dates back to around the first century. It represents the emblem of the voice of Buddha preaching the laws of his doctrine, and occurs as one of the auspicious signs on the "Footprint of Buddha". Size: L. 2.2cm. Condition: No repairs. In the enlarged photos you will see the natural faults of the stone but is not very noticeable with the naked eye.

A rare Bronze Ding or food offering container with domed cover and looped handles (when inverted the cover becomes a tripod dish) Age. Qin Dynasty (First Emperor) 221-206BC Size: H.17.2cm. W. 22cm. Condition: No repairs. All original. A small dent on the lid.

A very rare ancient eye bead from China from the Warring States period. It has a hole for stringing and can be worn. Size: Diameter. 2.5cm. Condition: Excellent for its age. One eye is slightly chipped. See last photo.

A beautiful and well made scholar's screen made of blackwood and having the original marble insert. Most of the marble in early pieces have been replaced. The frame for the marble has a key fret design. The base has carvings of two peaches, representing longevity, and the peony for prosperity. Age: Early 19th century. Size: H. 64cm. W. 43.5cm. Condition: No repairs, all original, age crack on the marble, common for it's age.

A very rare crystal tiger from Burma/Thailand. Crystal was thought to have magical powers and the tiger represents strength. It is unknown how they drilled the holes to make it wearable.As you can see they were drilled at both ends, probably before the crystal was carved. Age: over two thousand years old. Size: L. 3cm. W. 1.5cm Condition: Perfect.

A very rare Chinese Nanmu scholar's table chest. Nanmu wood has been used in China since the Han dynasty and is very prized by collectors as it is difficult to find. I feel that it is rarer than huanghuali. I have only come across one Nanmu scholar's chest in all the years that I have been collecting. Size: L.34cm. W.17cm. H.6cm. Age: Mid Qing or earlier. Condition: No repairs

Brown jade pig dragon also known as Zhulong in Chinese. These pieces are extremely rare. Probable a later type but not a fake. It is well carved and would make a nice pendant. Size: L. 7.5cm, W. 5cm

A nice carved curling pig dragon with a bird head terminal to the crest. Hongshan styles have been copied through out different dynasties. It is hard to date this piece, probably early 20th century. Will make a nice pendant. Size: H.5cm, W. 4.5cm.

A ewer with an greyish-olive toned glaze that covers all but the foot and base. The mouth is trumpet-flared and the 3-lobed rim of the mouth is trimmed in silver (see photos). The grooved strap handle is typical of Song items .

Period: Song: 10th-13th Century

Size: Height = 21.2 cm (8-3/4 inches)

Condition: Tiny firing separation at the base of the spout (not a crack).

A huanghuali wood brush washer carved in the form of a frog resting on a lotus pad that gently curls around him, giving protection. Brush washers and brushpots were important implements for painting and calligraphy for Chinese scholars. They were used, not only for practical purposes, but also for enjoying their beauty.

Period: Ching - 19th Century

Size: Length = 25 cm (9-7/8 inches, Width = 17 cm (6-5/8 inches)Condition: Very good with no repairs. Natural age wear.

A magnificent red and white Beijing glass vase . Basic vase is white glass with an overlay of red glass that has ben carved to expose the white vase. Scenes of scholars, merchants, painter, bridge, birds and mountain scenes. Qianlong mark at the bottom. Age: Pre 1920. Size: H.27,6cm.

A rare and very 18th century large scholar's standing screen. The front of the screen is painted red with a gilded mountain scene. The back is painted black with the remains of a good luck symbol. Size: H. 91cm. W. 78cm. Condition: Normal ageing. No repairs. In it's natural state, could use some professional cleaning.

A rare huanghuali clapper with three beautiful pieces of huanghuali. The two outer clappers are rounded at the tops while the center piece is flat on both sides.The sound of the wooden clappers sets the rhythm of the music as well as some of the actions of the performers. Age: early 19th century. Size:L.26.5cm. W.at the widest point-6cm. H.all three together 2.5cm. Condition: No repairs. Normal wear.

A very rare Song stone carved mirror holder in the shape of a mythical ox called n Xiniu. The ox has his head turned upward and is looking at the moon which is represented by the bronze mirror above and the stone carvings represent the clouds. It is very unusual to find this type in stone mirror holder as the few I have seen have been in gilded bronze. Size: H. 19.5cm. W. 15.5cm. D. 8.2cm. Condition: No repairs or chips. The horns are long gone as they were either made of wood or ivory...

Very rare wine vessel in the Meiping shape used by the boarded patrol. The inscription reads a kind of alcoholic beverage, most likely rice wine. The bottom has the inscription of the maker. Found in north western China. Size: 31.5cm. high. Age: Yuan - 1279-1368 AD. Condition: No repairs, two small chips around the spout and a small chip in the back. See photo 11. Looks worse on the photo then the actual chip.

An opium scale made of two carved bamboo parts that pivot open at the rounded end and close together with a leather strap. Inside this violin-shaped instrument are the original items - metal scale tray, counterweight and a measuring rod made of a long single piece of ivory that is approximately 38 cm (14-3/4 inches). (See photos) The interior is carved so that all 3 items fit snugly inside...

An unusual and rare Jin Dynasty stone carved seal for a high ranking military official.The carving on the stone is very beautiful and distinct. Size: 2.8 x 2.8 cm. Condition: No repairs.

A very unusual stretch bracelet with old ivory of a hand and club,Ming glass beads,striped Tang beads and a old bronze ball. The bracelet is strung with a stretch material to fit all sizes. A nice piece of Chinese antiques to wear.

A unique piece of zitan wood used as a sample for the scholar's woodworker. This piece is unusual as it shows a very light color of the zitan wood which is probably close to the bark area. There are two holes drilled in the piece for attaching a string for hanging. This piece weighs 550 grams. This is a great item for the zitan collector. Size: L.17.3cm. W.10.3cm. H.2.4cm. Condition: No repairs.

A blue-grey glazed pottery form of a large-eyed turtle. The turtle shell has relief patterns over which a glaze was applied.

Period: Song (10th - 13th Century, China)

Size: Length = 5.5 cm from head to tail. Height = 3.8 cm

Condition: Very good. No breaks. Natural crackle in the glaze from age.

A pottery jar glazed with a green lead glaze. Half of it is still green while the other half has oxidized to a silvery iridescent color. The variance in color is due to how the piece was buried and the effect of moisture getting under the surface of the glaze and "lifting" it to give it the pearl-like sheen. We've nicknamed this the Yin-Yang jar because of its unusual natural patterning. What makes this unique is its beautiful silvery- gold iridescence...

A full necklace of a mixture of cylinder, annular, tubular and truncated ellipsoid carnelian beads. There are also two "bullet" beads. This is a complete necklace - not random pieces put together. Naturally, it has been restrung. Age: 500 AD Size: Length - 62cm. Period: Pre-Columbian - Tairona Culture

A very rare and unusual root brush pot that is highly prized by the Qing Scholars. This is a very special type of root know in Chinese as "JinJinan" The pot has all the natural openings from the root. Age: Qing, early 18 century. Size: H. 29.3 cm. Diameter at the base. 19cm. Condition: No repairs to the root. An old repair on one leg of the base. One leg has been replaced. See photos.

A nicely carved jade pig done in the Han style. Pigs represent prosperity and jade pigs were were placed in the hands of the deceased. Many jade pigs were used for this purpose in later times and are sometimes mistaken for Han pieces. Size: L.10cm. H. 2.8cm. W. 2.3cm. Condition: No chips. Some calcification.

A very unusual round Ming huanghuali box with a lid. The lid's center has a burl wood center of huanghuali. It is very rare to see burl wood huanghuali in huanghuali pieces. This is the only one I have ever seen. Size: Diameter: 15.5cm. H: 9 cm. Condition: One old small repair (see photo), a natural age crack on one side (see photo) and a small chip at the bottom rim.

A nice well made Tibetan prayer beads consisting of 108 bone beads and three pink mountain coral. Two leather counters with ten silver rings each ending with silver inlaid with coral and turquoise. The bone is most likely yak but could also be human. Size:Total length of the necklace 52cm. Each bead is 1.2-1.3 cm in diameter. Condition: No repairs. All original.

A nicely carved natural amber pendant of the hand of Buddha citron with a hole at the top so it can be worn as a pendant. The citron fruit may be given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples. According to tradition, Buddha prefers the "fingers" of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed rather than open hand, as closed hands symbolize to Buddha the act of prayer. Size: H. 3.7cm. W. 2cm. Condition: No repairs, chips or cracks.

A large natural amber snuff bottle with carved coral tiles of stylized dragon heads on both sides. The amber is intricately carver on all sides. Size: H. 7cm. W. 4.8cm. Condition: No repairs.

A nicely carved natural amber pendant of the Hand of Buddha Citron. There is a hole at the top on the piece so it can be worn as a pendant. The citron fruit may be given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples. According to tradition, Buddha prefers the "fingers" of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed rather than open hand, as closed hands symbolize to Buddha the act of prayer. Size: L. 5cm. W. 2.5cm. Condition: Perfect.

A cricket cage made of a long bodied gourd with ivory mounts to accommodate the ivory and tortoise shell lid. The surface of the gourd has a leathery look from age. The tortoise shell piece has intricate pierced carvings of the "Eight Taoist Symbols" amidst curling tendril patterns. Period: Ching (19th Century)

A nice old Chinese tea holder made of bamboo, carved with a bird in flight and mountain scene. The back has beautifully incised calligraphy of a poem. Size: H.15.5cm. W. 11.4cm Condition: One old small repair on the back. See photo.

A slim rectangular box of huanghuali wood with original brass hardware. Over a two-part round lock plate is a cloud-shaped hasp. The four corners on top also have cloud-shaped protective/decorative brass. Period: 17th Century Size: Height = 10.5 cm, Length = 35.2 cm, Depth = 17 cm. Condition: Some old age cracks.

A rectangular silver box rich in high relief of dancers in costume. The detailing of the human forms and the patterning on their costumes is finely done. The background of the dancers is done in open-work silver of a pattern of swirling leaves and tendrils. At the bottom of the box is a large hand-hammered mythical Asian chimera (Makara)...

A white jade of two frolicking animals "kissing" muzzle-to-muzzle. The smaller animal has a little curly tail while the larger one has a long tail going up against its back with a curl at the tip. The style in which their legs are carved gives this piece a feeling of playful activity. Can be worn as a pendant. Period: Early Ching (18th Century) Size: H = 2-1/8", W = 1-3/4" Condition: No chips or repairs

A rare, large and beautifully carved scholar's item made of huanghuali and carved with flower vases and a censer as the center piece, with the original hardware.The outer frame could be huanghuali or huali. It is unusual to find these wall decorations in huanghuali. Size: L. 86cm. W. 35cm Age: Late Ming, early Ching piece. Condition: No repairs. For serious inquires, I will send photos of the back of the piece.

An extremely rare pair of original 18th century elm wood lacquered folding chairs. All the parts are original including the original lacquer. Only replacements were the hardware in the folding joints as the originals had rusted out. The back panel has an open- work floral design with a cloud design on the upper and lower panels. The soft mat seat seems to be original. The chairs fold in a unique backward motion. Size: H. 104cm. Width between the arm rests. 58.5cm. Seat depth. 38.5cm. Condition...

A pair of mythical animals (mother and child) of a creamy jade color. It has small areas of natural brown, light orange and grey coloration and inclusions. The jade is beautifully carved and feels lovely to the touch. The curled tail of the smaller animal forms a round hole which enables a thin rope to be put through it. Absolutely endearing. Period: Early Ching (18th Century) Size: H = 1-3/4", W = 3-3/8"

An unusual stone weight with a young boy riding a foo dog. The corners each have little foo dogs playing with their ball. The base has a key fret design. This is a very special weight and unique in it's design. It is my understanding that these weights were used in making paper. Size: W. 31.5 x 23cm. H. 19cm. Condition: No repairs or chips.

Four Foo Dog seals. Two carved, two blank. Two made of ivory, one of black stone and one of red stone.The Foo dog is also known as the celestial dog and happiness dog. The animal is also a symbol of energy and value. Age: Mid 19th century. Size: H. Tallest 4cm- Smallest:2.5cm. Condition: The red stone one has a small chip at the base, all others are fine.

An unusual blackwood ruler inlaid with silver markings on one side. Age: Qing Dynasty. Early 19th century. Size: L.35cm. Condition: No repairs. Normal ageing and some minor dents.

A very well executed Ming stone weight depicting a strange youth guiding a mythical beast.The stone itself is unusual in that is very hard and veined with two colors. A very unique piece and a true work of art. It is my understanding that these weights were used for pressing paper. Size: Base. 28.3 x 28.3cm. H. 14.5cm. Condition: No repairs. Some minor old chips around the edges and the horn on the animal might have been filed a little long ago.

A brass four prong dorje from Tibet. The primary symbol and ritual implement used in Tantric Buddhism, also know as a vajra. It can be translated as "diamond" or "thunderbolt". Age: Pre 1920. Size: L. 12cm. W. 4.3cm. Condition: Perfect.

A set of seven (7) miniature paintings on canvas of winged Tibetan protector deities and gods surrounded by flames including Vajrapani and Yama Dharma Raja. Four (4) of the miniatures are finely executed line drawings with color washes on a light-weight canvas...

A black terracotta Buddha amulet in the sitting position in-cased in a stainless steel case from Thailand. Age; Pre 1900 or earlier. Size: H. 3cm. Condition: No repairs.

Two unusual well carved huanghuali stands. They are almost a pair, but one is slightly larger than the other. Age: Late Ming or early Qing. Size: #1. Diameter 10cm. H. 3.5cm. #2. Diameter 9.5cm. H. 3cm. Condition: No repairs.

A complete calcified "chicken bone" jade necklace from the Longshan Period. Jade that has been buried for millenniums sometime calcifies to a white color losing all of it's original color. Age: 2800-1900 BC. Size. Length(closed) 29.5cm. Condition: Age calcification.

A seal from what is now Burma/India with carvings of an elephant and a flower. The handle is smooth and well-worn. The ivory has taken on a rich brown color with age.

Period: Pyu Dynasty - 100AD to 500AD)

Size: 3.5 cm (1-3/8 inches, Diameter of seal = 2.6 cm (approx. 1 inch)

Condition: Part of the seal has broken away from age (see photos). Has a very beautiful patina.

n old bamboo brush pot with unusual zigzag pattern. Age: 18th century. Size: H. 13cm, Radius. 10.3cm. Condition: No repairs. Old chip on the rim, natural cracking along the rims and natural ageing.

A charming brushpot inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ivory and hardstones. The inlay work is of branch with flowering plum blossoms. The back has a poem of archaic Chinese characters inlaid in silver. The wood is a dark hardwood (unidentified) of a slightly reddish tint.

Period: 18th Century

Size: Height = 12.5 cm (4-7/8 inches, Width = 9 cm.(3-1/2 inches)

Condition: Good condition. Slight age crack-which is part of the beauty-at the bottom part (under the plum blossoms)....

Huanghuali brushpot with original finish. Late Ming early Qing. Size: H.14cm. Diameter: 14.2cm. Condition: No repairs.